Imaging optical system as well as display device with such an imaging optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10120191-B2
Application number	US-201415038458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

An imaging optical system for a display device that can be fitted on the head of a user and generate an image, with an optical element including an entry surface, and a spectacle lens, which includes a coupling-in section and a coupling-out section spaced apart therefrom. The imaging optical system can guide the generated image fed to the optical element via the entry surface in the optical element, for coupling it from the latter into the spectacle lens, in which it is guided to the coupling-out section and coupled out via the coupling-out section to generate a virtual image. The optical element includes an entry surface, at least one reflecting surface, on which the generated image is reflected, and an exit surface. The entry surface, the at least one reflecting surface and/or the exit surface are formed curved, with the result that the optical element has an imaging property.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging optical system for a display device that can be fitted on the head of a user and generate an image, the system comprising:
an optical element comprising an entry surface; and
a spectacle lens comprising a coupling-in section and a coupling-out section spaced apart therefrom,
wherein the imaging optical system is configured to guide the generated image fed to the optical element via the entry surface in the optical element, and to couple the generated image from the optical element into the spectacle lens, in which the generated image is guided to the coupling-out section and coupled out via the coupling-out section to generate a virtual image,
wherein the optical element comprises, in addition to the entry surface, at least one reflecting surface on which the generated image is reflected for guiding in the optical element, and an exit surface, via which the generated image is coupled out of the optical element and is guided to the coupling-out section of the spectacle lens, and
wherein one or more of the entry surface, the at least one reflecting surface and the exit surface are formed curved, with the result that the optical element has an imaging property,
wherein the entry surface is both transmissive and reflective, the entry surface being transmissive such that the entry surface couples the generated image into the optical element, and the entry surface being reflective such that the entry surface reflects the generated image in the optical element.

2. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is a single piece.

3. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the entry surface is flat.

4. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the exit surface is reflective such that the exit surface reflects the generated image in the optical element and transmissive such that the exit surface couples the generated image out of the optical element.

5. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the exit surface is curved.

6. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the entry surface and the exit surface are spatially offset with respect to each other and are tilted about at least two spatial axes which are independent of each other.

7. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein an exit surface of the optical element is in direct contact with a corresponding surface of the spectacle lens.

8. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a plurality of boundary surfaces which are not used for at least one of guiding and coupling in and coupling out the generated image, wherein the boundary surfaces are at least one of blackened and light-absorbing.

9. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a first connecting surface and the spectacle lens comprises a second connecting surface, wherein the first connecting surface is in contact with the second connecting surface in order to position the optical element with respect to the spectacle lens.

10. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein, in an edge area, the spectacle lens comprises the coupling-in section, wherein the edge area has a greater thickness than an area of the spectacle lens in which the coupling-out section lies.

11. A display device, comprising:
a holder that can be fitted on the head of a user;
an image-generating module provided to the holder, the image-generating module configured to generate an image; and
an imaging optical system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging optical system is secured to the holder such that when the holder is fitted on the head of the user, the image is generated by the image generating module such that the user can perceive the image as a virtual image.

12. The display device according to claim 11 , wherein the holder comprises a pair of spectacles, the pair of spectacles including a first and a second temple stem, wherein the optical element is disposed at least partially in one of the two temple stems.

13. The imaging optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a single body.

Assignees

• Carl Zeiss Smart Optics Gmbh
• tooz technologies GmbH

Inventors

• Rudolph Guenter
• Dobschal Hans-Juergen
• Lindig Karsten

Classifications

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0118

  comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility · CPC title

• G02C5/146

  having special front end · CPC title

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title